Mara writes:
I read your article regarding Job Interview Follow Up Do’s & Don’ts. I interviewed with a company for a position I was really interested in. The company has no more 50 people and I met with 5; two of them were in HR. I sent thank-you notes to each one. After two weeks and hearing nothing, I figured they found someone else. Then HR emailed me (I would expect a phone call is faster means of communication) asking me to come in again, and when I responded both by email and phone, I never got a response
Some people have said it’s probably not a company I’d to work with. What do you think?
The Career Doctor responds:
I might have to agree with some of your friends that this behavior might be a sign that the company is not right for you. While I talk a lot about job-seeker etiquette in this blog, whenever I meet with employers I also remind them of the importance of etiquette and respect — and I feel as though this employer needs a little lesson in those areas.
Nice job, by the way, in writing a thank-you note to each person… and yes, for all of you readers, you must thank each person who interviews you — and yes, they all need to be original letters (though parts can be the same).
The only flaw I can see in your job-search strategy is that you did not follow up after sending the thank-you notes. I’m dealing with a client in a similar situation right now… you must be proactive, and you must continue (politely and professionally) to show your interest in the position and the company.
My best guess is that you were possibly a second-choice candidate, and when the first choice either backed out or looked as though he/she was going to back out, you then received the email from human resources.
Learn more about the importance of following up here, in this article published on Quintessential Careers: Follow Up All Job Leads: Don’t Wait by the Phone (or Computer).
Leave a comment